The present invention relates to a device making it possible to carry out the transfer of a random product or material, in one direction or the other, between a container used e.g. for the transportation or storage of the product in a so-called clean zone and a confinement enclosure constituting a working zone, said device leading to a permanent tight double barrier between these zones, in order to prevent any contamination of the clean zone.
Transfer devices of this type can be used in all cases where an enclosure is used for confining a zone contaminated by microscopically divided material. In the nuclear field, this zone can be a radioactive zone. In the pharmaceutical industry, it can contain toxic products. The invention applies to all these different fields of activity.
It is known to transfer a product, material or equipment between a container and a confinement enclosure by means of a double door, tight transfer device, like that described in French patent 2 040 616.
However, in certain circumstances, such a device is inadequate, because it only constitutes a single tight barrier, which is not always sufficiently reliable. Moreover, it is not suitable for systematic manipulations and does not make it possible to monitor the fact that the confinement is being maintained.